Special sources revealed to "Arabi Post" that there are American efforts to promote the "World Central Kitchen" institution as a substitute for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Gaza. This move comes after delays in UNRWA’s efforts and the freezing of its funding concerning humanitarian aid in the sector and its distribution. However, there is reported "Israeli rejection" of replacing the agency with a non-UN organization.
Notably, the World Kitchen has managed to deliver aid by sea, air, and land since the beginning of the war, allowing its activities at more than 60 distribution points across the sector. It has been involved in establishing a marine jetty in the Baydar area in Gaza and a floating dock in Khan Yunis, according to a previous report by "Arabi Post." This raises speculations about American attempts to make the World Kitchen an alternative to UNRWA in Gaza.
This comes at a time when other organizations, including UNRWA and its staff, face obstacles in carrying out their duties in Gaza since the war began, particularly in distributing aid. Local Palestinian sources volunteering with the World Central Kitchen (WCK), who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media, mentioned that the American (non-governmental) organization has a wide presence throughout the Gaza Strip from north to south. It primarily oversees the delivery of aid to the northern areas of Gaza, which are in urgent need of assistance, in coordination with other international and UN organizations operating there.
The sources from the World Kitchen, in their conversation with "Arabi Post," declined to state that the kitchen is a substitute for UNRWA or that it monopolizes aid delivery to the people in Gaza. They emphasized that this role must be fulfilled with the help of all international, UN, and human rights organizations working in the sector and in coordination with all parties involved. They also confirmed that their efforts are driven by the desire to "help feed civilians and provide them with hot meals amid the ongoing war," which is the primary objective of the organization and its volunteers from both Palestinian and various other nationalities.
